Ground Disturbance - Core Aerification

Aerification - Aerification is used to do many things to a playing surface. It can help break up layers, provide better water penetration rates, dilute organic matter, move desirable particles into the soil profile, and the list goes on and on.

The soil matrix is made up of many different components including Sand, Silt, Clay, and other fine particles that define the way water and organic matter are moved within the profile. Aerification is used at different depths and times of the year. It influences this relationship to provide ideal water penetration and proper dilution of organic matter present in the soil layers. 

When soil becomes compacted or starts developing layers we use many different aerification processes to combat the issue. The primary way is with a solid or hollow tine aerifier that you either walk behind or mount as an implement to a tractor. 

Procore 1298 Aerifier mounted to 70hp Kabota Tractor w/4WD

 Above is a picture of the tractor and ProCore we used at Victory Ranch. This tractor and ProCore paired together will make quick work of large areas with any selection of tine size and spacing you desire. Below are two videos of this rig in action. (Quarter-inch hollow tines) With two of these, we were able to complete 18 fairways in one 12-hour day with two expert operators. 

This was done to all of our fairways and roughs twice a year and timing was determined by amounts of thatch measured from plugs. 

Plug size compared to Toro Irrigation Key (Victory Ranch Fwys)

 Pictured above are some sample cores that were taken from the fwy's at Victory Ranch Golf Club after the aerifier made a pass. As you can see the thatch level is very high and when the bottom was high in clay content from poor construction techniques. This tells us that the level of compaction is great, the level of thatch is very high, and as a result, will cause poor water penetration and an unhealthy microbial level in the soil. With a soil rehabilitation plan, the problem will slowly correct itself over several years. Aerification alone with not solve a thatch issue. You always need the proper topdressing and soil treatments to get microbes back into action and reducing your thatch level.

Above is a video of a Toro Procore 648 being used on greens at Victory Ranch Club in Utah. Sand was applied first in an effort to move it as deep as possible into the profile. Greens typically are plugged at different depths and tine sizes to resist layering in the soil matrix.

An aerified fairway at Lahontan